As of today, many types of tricycles for children exist. In a typical toy shop, one can encounter a number of tricycles differing in size, shape and color. However, shipping, handling, and storing these tricycles are becoming problems of a major nuisance, due to the relative large space these tricycles occupy. This is especially true for shipping overseas, where the tricycle's overall occupying space affects the size of the shipping containers of the tricycles which, in turn, affects the shipping costs.
This problem, of large space occupancy, can be partially resolved by a foldable tricycle design. Thus, the option of folding the tricycle, when not in use, can reduce costs, of shipping and storing, for distributers and retailers. In addition, consumers may also prefer foldable tricycles which can be easily fitted into a car trunk and can be easily stored in a storeroom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,572 discloses a folding tricycle, which features a front frame element to which a front wheel and handlebars are mounted. A front bracket is attached to the front frame element and a seat bracket, to which a seat is mounted, is pivotally attached to the front bracket. A rear frame element has a pair of rear wheels mounted thereto and is attached to a rear bracket. The rear bracket is also pivotally mounted to the front bracket. The rear seat bracket features a pin that engages slots in the seat bracket. As a result, the seat bracket pivots with respect to the front bracket as the rear frame element is pivoted relative to the front bracket as the riding vehicle is moved between folded and unfolded configurations. However, the described folding technique is inefficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,066 discloses a folding frame for a tricycle which has a front frame part on which the front wheels can be mounted and a rear frame part on which the rear wheels can be mounted. A rotating joint with a front articulated part is mounted on the front frame part and a rear articulated part is mounted on the rear frame part. The first of the two articulated parts has a first recess and the second of the two articulated parts has a second and third recess. The first recess and the second recess are in alignment in the use position of use and the first recess and the third recess are aligned in the folded position. The first articulated part and the second articulated part are locked against one another in the use position and in the folded position via a pin which can be moved in the recesses. Nevertheless, the described folding system is inconvenient.
WO 2007/038951 discloses a folding tricycle for children which comprises a frame having a central part carrying at its front a head tube and connected at its rear to first ends of rear arms carrying a corresponding rotatable wheel, the first end of said arms being hinged to said central part such as to be able to assume at least two working positions, in a first position said arms extending from said central part and in a second position they cling along the side of said part. The central part of the frame comprises a portion connecting it to the arms and presenting free surfaces lying in planes inclined to a central plane of the frame and converging to the front said central part of this latter, said first end of said arms being shaped to provide a form fit with said free surfaces. Nevertheless, the described folding technique is inefficient.
WO 2014/033503 discloses a foldable tricycle which includes a front wheel assembly and a mainframe, latched to the front wheel assembly by a front mount. The disclosed tricycle also includes a pair of rear-wheel assemblies, a pair of folding ring assemblies which couples the rear-wheel assemblies to the mainframe, and a mechanism for simultaneously unlocking the pair of ring assemblies and unlatching the mainframe from the front wheel assembly. Nevertheless, the described folding technique is inefficient.
It would therefore be desired to propose a system void of these deficiencies.